Will Durant said: If the process of civilization's spread is interrupted for more than a century, civilization will die, and we will revert to barbarism. A thousand-mile dike collapses due to an ant's nest. History does not always progress; it often goes backward. The collapse of many civilizations in history was not completed overnight; when a building is about to fall, there will be various signs.
Sign One: Collective Arrogance and Fanaticism#
God wishes to destroy it, must first make it mad. Too many historical cases prove this. Whether it is Tsarist Russia before World War I or the Qing Dynasty that waged war against eleven countries, whether it is Hitler before World War II or Tojo Hideki during the war, arrogance and fanaticism are their common characteristics, and collapse and destruction are also their common fate. This is why in the "Seven Deadly Sins," the sin of pride is considered the most serious crime. Because pride is the beginning of human downfall. Therefore, Durant believes that human history is just a moment in the universe, and what we must first learn is humility.
Sign Two: The Gradual Disappearance of Competition and Choice#
Durant said, "Life is competition, life is choice." We are governed by the process of evolution and tested by the biological law of survival of the fittest. Competition and choice, accompanying the entire process of human civilization development, are one of the major driving forces ensuring that civilization continues to innovate. However, in some areas, people have replaced competition with institutional arrangements, stipulating that some people can go to school, some cannot, some can do business, and some are only fit to consume... This has deprived people of the freedom of choice and made the entire society lose vitality, causing civilization to stagnate or even regress.
Sign Three: Replacing Cooperation with Struggle and Isolation#
Durant said, "Civilization is the product of cooperation, and almost all nations contribute to it." The difference lies only in the extent of contribution. In some regions, society is always very open, and cooperation is always very common; their social progress will be relatively fast, and their contribution to civilization will naturally be greater. In contrast, some regions are always very closed, lacking cooperation, replaced by ubiquitous struggle and infighting, refusing to learn from the outside world and resisting all foreign things. In such places where "closed-door car manufacturing" occurs, civilization is destined to be "incompatible with the local environment." If the "soil" itself does not change, it is difficult to achieve any substantial development.
Sign Four: Collective Decline in Spiritual and Moral Levels#
One important reason why history can largely repeat itself is that human nature changes as slowly as geological changes; generation after generation passes, but the character of the nation does not change much. Regardless of how many dynasties change, the human factors that led to the last social collapse often also lead to the next social collapse. Durant said, "The foundation of society lies not in human ideals but in human nature. The composition of human nature can rewrite the composition of the nation." If the overall spiritual and moral level of a nation's citizens continues to decline, then the level of civilization in that country will inevitably regress.
Sign Five: The Rise of Radicalism#
Durant said, "Social evolution is a process of interaction between habit and innovation. Those conservatives who resist change have equal value to the radicals proposing change—perhaps even more value, because deep roots are more important than lush branches." Unfortunately, human history has repeatedly fallen into the frenzy of radicalism. The "French Revolution" is the most vivid example. In pursuit of so-called "brotherhood, equality, and freedom," the French destroyed all traditions, ultimately resulting in long-term turmoil and unrest. This ideology has spread worldwide, leaving a toxic legacy to this day.
Sign Six: Using Violent Means to Equalize Wealth#
Durant said, "Wealth concentration is natural and inevitable, and can be periodically alleviated through violent or peaceful redistribution." However, we must realize that different methods of wealth redistribution can cause varying degrees of harm to civilization. Legal and peaceful methods of wealth redistribution have limited harm to civilization. However, the use of violent means to "kill the rich to help the poor" and "equalize wealth" is not uncommon in history and may be repeated in certain areas. When any pursuit of wealth becomes a crime, people will fall into the trap of collective poverty, achieving a slavery-like equality.
Sign Seven: Forcibly Implementing Utopianism#
Utopianism often promises people the best future: an omnipotent government, ample welfare, and an equal society... Later generations often believe that utopianism is a product of a specific era, a "necessary result of the defects of capitalism." However, Durant eloquently proves with historical facts that the impulse for utopia has always been deeply buried in human nature throughout history, and thus it will always accompany human society. Those who forcibly implement "utopia" in order to realize the ideal of a "heaven on earth" merely treat everyone as "guinea pigs" for social experiments, resulting only in scarcity, chaos, corruption, and massacres... If we lose civilization, we will inevitably return to barbarism.